Improvement in locks for securing revenue-stamps on beer-barrels



fitnitmi gitana FREDERICK BRAOKE'IT, or

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNEsoIA.

Leners Paten N9. 103,711, datedMay' 31, 1ero.

' A I IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS FORA SECURING- REVENUE-STAMPS ON BEER-BARRELS.

To all 'whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK BRACKETT, of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain Improvements in Locks for Securing Revenue- Stamps on Barrels, Casks, &c., of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

My invention consists in a lock for securing revenuestamps over the spigot-holes of bcer-barrels,.liquor casks, Ste., in such manner that the spigot or cock cannot be applied without driving it through, and thus destroying the stamp, or the lock opened, to remove the stamp, withontdeticing and destroying the stamp in so doing.

Figure l is afnce view of my lock open to receive the stamp 5 Figure 2, a face view of the lock, closed, and a stamp secured within it;

. Figure 3 is a section through the lock, closed, on the line a: x of g. 2; and

Figure 4, a section on the line y y' of g. 2. y

In constructing my lock, I provide two metal plates or`rings, A and B, of a size and for|ncorresponding to that of the ordinarybeer or liquor stamps adopted by the department, and hinge them together, as shown at h, figs. l and 2, so that while a stamp may be held or clamped between the two plates, its face is open for inspection through the open or centralportion of the plate, as in g. 2.

The plate A I provide with holes, to receive screws j, by'whieh it may be secured to the head of the cask, over or around the spigot-hole, as shown in g. 3.

On the outer side of the plate A, opposite the hinge, I form an extension or box, C, open on its front, but closed on its back side, andhaving a rim of ange, n, around its frnt edge, as shown in figs. 1, 2, and 4.

' Vithin the plate or ring A I place a curved bailor handle, E, the ends of which are turnedoutward, as shown, the one bearing in the ring near the hinge,

vand the other extending through into the box G, the

bail thus mountet"L being free to turn over and fold down withinfthe ring .or plate, as shown in gsfl and 3.

Within thebox G, on the end of the bail or handle E, I mount looselya hook or dog, G, provided on one side with alug or shoulder, b, and having a spring, c, behind it to keep it thrown forward, a's shown in n'gs. 1 and4.

On the' end of bail E, within the box C, I locate a pin, a, which, when the bail is turned out, as in iig. 4, strikes against the lng or shoulder l1, and forces back the-hook or dog G.

, 0n the outer side of the plate or ring B, I form an extension or ann, D, of the proper size and ferm to t snugly within the flanges n, when the lock is closed and thus close the front side-cf the box C, so that no tools or instruments can be inserted from without, and on the face of this arm D, I form a hook, j', which when the' plates or ringsare 'closed together, engages with the dog Gr and locks the plates shut, as shown in tig. 4, so that they can 'only be opened by turning up the bail or handle E. p

On the face of plate or ring A, I locate pnsd, which, when the lock is closed, enter corresponding -holes in plate B, and thuspass' through any stamp or other sheet previously placedbetween the plates, and prevent its removal from the lock without opening the' same or destroying the stamp itself.

As an additional guard against the removal of the stamp, I provide the face ot' plate B with projecting -rubber blocks, e, which bear upon the face of' the stamp when the lock is closed.

Across the front of plate or ring A, I locate a slotted sliding plate, H, having a piu, L', on its face, and held and guided by a screw, m, passing through its slot, the plate being held from sliding accidentally by a spiral spring placed around the screw and. bearing against its back side, as shown in fig. 3.

The slot in the plate H, I make of such length that the plate may be slid down to`let the bail or handle E swing over the upper end, or up far enough to let the spigot pass through the rings or plates below it.

In using my device, it is secured to the head of a barrel, over or around the spigot-hole, so that said hole and the inner lower edge of the ring or plate shall be nearly in line, as shown in fig. 3.

The lock being then opened, the bail E turned down, and thepplate H. 'slid over it, as shown in fig. l, the stamp isplacedover the plate A and theplate B shut down -upon it, as shown in figs. 2 and 3, the dog G- operating automatically and locking the plate together with the stamp between them.

When lthus closed, the pins (l and rubber c hold the stamp securely in place over the spigot-hole, the plate,

andthe bail,so that neither can be seen or moved without puncturing or tearing the stamp, the pin L ol' the platefprojecting through the face ofthe stamp, ns i shown in ligs. 2 and 3.

To remove the stamp, it is necessary to slide down the plate H, and then insert a tool through thel upper portion of the stamp to raise the bail E, which, when thus raised or turned, tears the stamp into small shreds, and prevents the possibility ot' applying it to another barrel.

It will be seen that by the use of the slide the bail is locked down, and, consequently, the stamp heldin place until the barrel is lemptied and the spigot removed. f V

It is obvious that, instead of hinging the two` rings,

A and B, together :tt one side, theymay be provided at each side with catches and locking dogs, in which onse the stamp will be secured by simply pressing the outer one against the other until locked at both sides, but this pla-n I do 'not consider as good, for the reason that it is more Iexpensive to make, and the outer one being detachablewould be likely to be mis" laid or lost.4

Having thus described my invention, ,VVliztt I claim is- 1. A stnmp-holder for barrels or similar vessels,

f consisting of two rings having a central opening for the insertion of a' spigot, said rings being hinged together, and provided with m1 automatic locking de.- vice, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the rings A andl B, the bnil E, :und locking dog G, constrnotednnd arranged to operate substantially as described.'

3. The combination of the rings A nnd B, hail E, with its locking dog, and the sliding plate H, substantiztllyr as described.

FREDERICK BRACKETT.

Witnesses A. L. BANSMAN, J. VANDER HonoK. 

